Top products from r/photojournalism

Ah, OK. If you're in the UK (i.e. UK resident) then yes, fees seem extortionate, but it's still not real debt. It doesn't get counted against credit ratings and you only start to pay it off if you earn over a certain amount (hopefully I don't sound too glib). So don't worry about it too much. That said, the fees are really high if you're a non-UK resident wanting to study here (not sure which is more, US or UK fees).

Languages would be OK, but you would need to have an idea of where you wanted to work, and then what happens if you want to work somewhere else? That's not saying don't do a language degree, but just something to bear in mind. I'm not sure what course I would suggest, just think about something that you would enjoy and would help you with what you want to accomplish. People I know have everything from English degrees to politics and beyond.

As for if it's harder to get jobs. Actual salaried positions are like gold dust here (and in some parts of the world). A lot of jobs tend to be dead man's shoes (they come up when someone retires, quits or moves to another agency). As an example with the guys employed by agencies in the UK (a lot of the guys also do photojournalism as well when they get given assignments or find a project they like), most have usually started off doing casual shifts with an agency or publication (which is a hard enough step to get to already), after a while they end up with a contract for a certain amount of hours per month and after that they apply for jobs when they open up (which is rarely). It's a dog-eat-dog world, so if you should be unavailable for a shift then they'll go to someone else and you end up at the bottom of the pile.

Having a photojournalism degree wouldn't put you above anyone else, plenty of the people working don't have one. I guess the main thing that a degree would teach you (if you were a complete novice) would be things such as working to deadlines, the practical bits and bobs and feedback on the work you're producing as well as networking opportunities (depending on how well connected the university is).

On getting work as a freelance, a lot of the work I do is on spec (I shoot it and send it through), often when I'm away I'll be working with various freelance journalists who have ties to publications, so I'll pop the pictures through to the relevant desk once they've filed their story. Other than that I just put pictures through to desks when I judge that I've shot something newsworthy (this is outside anything I do as a correspondent - hard to describe the agreement I have with the organisation, but it's not the standard stuff).

Hope that helps, to be honest I kind of do my own thing. Everything I do revolves around a long term project I've been working on, so I'm in my own world most of the time and my approach won't work for everyone.

I will say that think one of the main changes in the industry (again, not sure of the situation in the US so I'm talking about the UK again) is that there isn't a normal career path any more. No set steps that people follow to end up in x position; the approach that one person takes doesn't necessarily work for someone else. Others here will also have points of view that, I have no doubt, may fit better than my ramblings.

Maybe a good step would be to find an agency or publication near you and ask if you could do a couple of weeks work experience. Also, you could do worse than pick up a copy of Ken Kobre's Photojournalism: The Professional's Approach (quite a decent book that I recommend to people who want to start out).

$80 flash that supports HSS

$110 Canon 50mm f/1.8

$250-$300 Canon 50D That link might not work I just searched Amazon for used 50D's. Again Fredmiranda.com and even a reputable ebay seller is a good option for used stuff. Be sure to pay the paypal fee's for protection and look for sellers with a 99% rating after a decent amount of sales.

The 50D is definitely long in the tooth but it has a professional build and controls. Here's a review article. It's 15mp which is plenty and has a pretty good autofocus system 9 cross type autofocus points iso: 100-3200 expanded to 6,400 and 12,800 with H1 and H2 not the best performance but for $250 you wont beat it. The multi direction controller set to direct AF point selection is imho necessary for PJ stuff. I'm always changing my focus points and I won't own a camera without the direct selector. That and the all magnesium body is what makes it a "professional" camera in my eyes.

You also need a CF card and reader. ~ $30

Totals $520

• Windows of the Soul: My Journeys in the Muslim World by Alexandra Avakia
  
• Inferno by James Nachtwey
  
• Signos by Veejay Villafrancia
  
• Magnum Contact Sheets by Magnum Photo Agency
  
• Free E-Books on street photography by Eric Kim
  
• Afghanistan: The Road to Kabul by Ron Haviv
  
• American Color 2 by Constantine Manos
  
• Wear Good Shoes: Inspiring Advice from Magnum Photographers by LensCulture
  
• Sleeping by the Mississippi by Alec Soth
  
  
  I suggest you visit Magnum, LensCulture, Invisible Photographers Asia, In-Public, British Journal of Photography, etc. Have fun!

Shoulder bags are terrible for your body, as was pointed out already. Especially with all that weight. I'm a travel photographer who is on the road more days than not and I swear by this camera backpack, super easily accessible and fast and comfortable.